Box blank support device



Aug. 9, 1966 A. PALAMENTl 3,265,385

BOX BLANK SUPPORT DEVICE Filed Oct. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MAXIMUMBLANK SUPPO2T- LENGTH -*-MINIMUM bLANK LENGTH--l INVENTOa. 645E197IQQLHNLA/TI,

1966 A. PALAMENTI 3,265,386

BOX BLANK SUPPORT DEVICE Filed Oct. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4zwvlsxvro United States Patent 3,265,386 BOX BLANK SUIPGRT DEVICE AlbertPalamenti, Saddle Brook, N .J., assignor to Koppers Company, Inc., acorporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 405,151 4 Claims.(Cl. 271-61) This invention generally relates to a support device fordifferent sized box blanks and more particularly to a support device fordifferent sized box blanks in a reciprocating feeder.

A reciprocating box blank feeding mechanism includes a box blank supportbed upon which a stack of box blanks are supported before and during thefeeding operation into adjacent machinery for printing, scoring,slotting and the like. The support bed has a pair of rearwardlyextending arms with recesses therebetween. The arms form extensions ofthe blank support bed and have adjustably mounted thereon. a backstopbar which supports the stack of box blanks at their rear or trailingedge so that the lowermost or bottom blank has its rear edge elevatedabove the surface of the support bed. A reciprocating spring feederpasses beneath the stack of box blanks and engages the rear or trailingedge of the bottom box blank and moves it forwardly into the processingmachinery. Both the backstop bar and the spring feeder are adjustablealong the longitudinal path of travel of the box blank so that the samereciprocating feeder mechanism can be used with different size boxblanks.

The pair of arms extending rearwardly from the blank support bed areconventionally spaced from each other and arranged on the blank supportbed so that the recess therebetween permits access by the operator forcontrolling a stack of short box blanks whose trailing edges terminateat a substantial distance in front of the rear edge of the arms orextensions. When long box blanks are being fed into adjacent processingmachinery, a portion of the blanks spans the recess between the pair ofspaced arms. The box blanks are relatively flexible and their centerportions sag into the recess. To eliminate the sagging of the long boxblanks it is conventional practice to provide a horizontal supportbetween the rearwardly extending arms. The horizontal supportsubstantially fills the recess and supports the center section of thelong box blanks. The horizontal support, commonly referred to as a bedleaf, is hingedly secured to the support bed between the rearwardlyextending arms and may be pivoted from a hanging vertical inactiveposition to a horizontal support position where the bed leaf support islocked in substantially the same horizontal plane as the blank supportbed.

The hinged type support has several disadvantages that interfere withthe feeding of different sized box blanks. The hinged support must belifted into position and locked in a horizontal support position. Thehinged support has a fixed dimension so that the recess between therearwardly extending arms is either fully open or fully closed. Wherethe hinged support is in a horizontal position it completely fills therecess between the rearwardly extending arms and the operator hasdifficulty in reaching and controlling a stack of short length boxblanks. If the hinged support is moved out of its support position, therecess is fully open and the span of the blanks between the edge of thebed and the backstop bar is not supported. The improved box blanksupport herein described eliminates the above disadvantages and providescontinued support for the different sized box blanks.

Briefly, the invention herein disclosed provides a box blank supportthat is positioned in receiving portions of the arms extendingrearwardly from the blank support bed so that the blank support topsurface is in substantially the same horizontal plane as the blanksupport bed. The

Patented August 9, 1966 blank support is reciprocally movable in thereceivers toward and away from the blank support bed so that the blanksupport will provide support for box blanks having different lengths.The box blank support is secured to and movable with the transverselyextending backstop bar so that the blank support assumes the optimumsupporting position for the intermediate portions of the box blanks fedto the processing machinery that is dependent on the relative positionof the backstop bar.

Accordingly, the primary feature of the present invention is to providean adjustable box blank support that is positioned between therearwardly extending arms of a blank support bed in a reciprocatingfeeder mechanism.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a blank support carriedby the rearwardly extending arms of a,

blank support bed and associated with the backstop bar so that the blanksupport assumes an optimum support position for box blanks positioned onthe backstop bar.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a blank support devicethat opens or closes the recess between the rearwardly extending arms asthe backstop bar is adjusted to support the rear edges of differentsized box blanks.

This invention comprises the new and improved construction andcombination of parts and their operating relation to each other whichwill be described more fully hereinafter and the novelty of which willbe particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as part of the specification,there is fully and clearly shown one embodiment of this invention, inwhich drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in section and in elevation taken along the line 11of FIGURE 3 illustrating the backstop bar in its re-ar most position forsupporting long box blanks.

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation and in section taken alongsubstantially the same plane as FIGURE 1 and illustrating the backstopbar in position for feeding short box blanks.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the blank feeder with the backstop barset at its rearmost position for feeding long box blanks.

FIGURE 4 is a view in elevation and section taken along the line 4-4 inFIGURE 3 illustrating the support member supported at its side edgeportions on the rearwardly extending arms. Portions of the backstop barare omitted in FIGURE 4.

The detailed construction of the backstop bar and the spring feeder isnot illustrated nor described in detail in this specification. Thebackstop bar and the spring feeder are of conventional construction anda detailed description of these elements can be found in US. Patent No.2,289,- 010, dated July 7, 1942, issued to H. B. Greenwood, and entitledPrinter Slotter Feed. The backstop bar and spring feeder described inthe above United States patent could be used with the invention hereindescribed.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated portions of a blankfeeding mechanism generally designated by the numeral 10 that includesframe members 12 and 14 with a transverse support 16 that has adepending leg 18. Positioned between and supported by the frame 14 is abed support 20 that terminates at a front edge 21 adjacent the feedrolls 22 and 24. Extending transversely across the bed support 20adjacent the feed rolls 22 and 24 is a bar 26 that supports a pluralityof depending gates 28. The gates 28 have their lower edge portion 30spaced above the top surface 32 of bed support 20 and permit the passageof a box blank therebeneath into contact with the feed rolls 22 and 24.The bed support 20 has a rear edge portion 34 with a pair of rearwardlyextending extensions or arms 36 and 38. The arms 36 and 38 are parallelto each other and are spaced to form a recessed portion 40 therebetween.The upper surface of aaeasss the arms 36 and 38 is in substantially thesame horizontal plane as the bed support 20.

There is provided a transverse backstop assembly generally designated bythe numeral 42 that is arranged to support the trailing or rear edge ofa stack of blanks above the horizontal top surface of the arms 36 and 38and support bed 20, as is illustrated in FIGURE 2. The transversebackstop assembly so positions the blanks that a spring feeder generallydesignated by the numeral 44 may engage the bottom blank and feed thebottom blank to the take-up feed rolls 22 and 24. The backstop assembly42 has a transverse channel 46 that is supported by blocks 48 that aresecured to the channels 46. A plurality of vertical backstops 47 thathave a forwardly extending edge 49 are secured to the channel 46 tosupport the box blanks thereon.

The arms 36 and 38 have elongated T shaped slotted portions 50 and 52extending lengthwise thereof. Bolt members 54 extend through suitableapertures in the blocks 48 and have an enlarged head portion 56 thatslid-ably secures the backstop assembly 42 to the arms 36 and 38. Nuts58 having laterally extending handle portions have the bolts 54 threadedtherethrough and serve to tighten the bolt head 56 upwardly against theinwardly extending ortions of the T shaped slot to secure the backstopassembly 42 in a preselected position along the arms 36 and 38.

The spring feeder assembly 44 includes a transverse bar 60 which extendsbetween the arms 36 and 38 and has a plurality of spring feeders 62secured thereto. The spring feeder assembly 44 is supported by a pair ofreciprocating bars 64 and 66 that are positioned in elongated slots 68and 70 in the arms 36 and 38 and bed 20. The bars 64 and 66 are commonlyreferred to as knocker slides and are suitably secured to areciprocating drive mechanism that reciprocates the spring feederassembly 44 to feed box blanks longitudinally along the support bed 20.The heretofore described reciprocating feeder 10, including the springfeeder assembly 44 and backstop assembly 42, are of known, conventionalconstruction.

Spanning the recess 40 is a blank support generally designated :by thenumeral 72 that has a front edge portion 74 and side edge portions 76and 78. The blank support 72 has an upturned rear end portion 80 that issecured to the backstop channel 46 by means of screws 82. The blanksupport 72 has its edge portions 76 and 78 overlying the inner portions84 and 86 of arms 36 and 38 so that the lateral edge portions of theblank support 72 are slidably supported by portions of the arms 36 and38. The bed support and the arms 36 and 38 have a vertically recessedportion 88 defined by shoulders 90 and 92. The recessed portion 88 has alateral dimension substantially equal to the lateral dimension of theblank support 72, and the depth of the recessed portion 88 issubstantially equal to the thickness of the blank support 72. with thisarrangement the top surface 94 of blank support 72 is in substantiallythe same horizontal plane as the top surface of the bed support 20. Theblank support 72 spans the recessed portion 40 between the rearwardlyextending arms 36 and 38 and reciprocates with the backstop assembly 42.The blank support member 72 is arranged to support the intermediateportion of the box blanks supported by the backstop assembly 42.

Referring to FIGURE 2, a stack of box blanks of a preselected size ispositioned on the bed support 20 with the front edges of the box blanksabutting the depending gates 28 adjacent the rolls 22 and 24. Thebackstop assembly 42 with the nuts 58 loosened to permit adjustment, isadvanced until the backstops 47 abut the rear edges of the box blanks.The rear edges of the blanks are elevated so that the lowermost blankrests on the ledge 49 of backstops 47. The spring feeder assembly 44 isthen reciprocated to remove the bottommost box blank and feed it to thereceiving rolls 22 and 24.

When the backstop assembly 42 is in the rearmost position to supportelongated box blanks, the blank support 72 spans the recess 40 betweenthe arms 36 and 38 as is illustrated in FIGURES l and 3. When thebackstop assembly 42 is positioned in its forward position, the blanksupport 72 (FIGURE 2) supports the front edges of the lowermost boxblank and is positioned in the bed support recessed portion 88.

The maximum length of the bed support 72 along the path of box blanktravel is determined by the dimensions set out in FIGURE 2 and isdependent on the minimum length blank that can be satisfactorilyprocessed in adjacent equipment. The blank support 72 can have a lengthsufiicient to extend along the path of blank travel from the point whereit is secured to the backstop assembly 42 forward to the front edge 21of the bed support 26-. If blank support '72 exceeded this length, itsfront edge would interfere with the feed rolls 22 and 24. The width ofthe blank support 72 is determined by the width of the recess 4! betweenthe arms 36 and 38. The width of the blank support 72 should be suchthat the side edges 76 and 78 overlap portions of the arms 36 and 38, asis indicated at the inner portions 84 and 86 in FIG- URE 3.

Where it is desired to feed elongated box blanks to the adjacentprocessing equipment, the backstop assembly 42 is positioned so that thebox blank front edge portions abut the gates 28 and the rear edgeportions are supported by the ledge 49 of backstops 47. Assuming, forexample, that the backstop assembly 42 is positioned as illustrated inFIGURES 1 and 3 to properly support the rear edge portions of theelongated box blanks, the blank support 72 is automatically positionedto support an intermediate portion of the elongated box blanks with theadjustment of the backstop assembly. The length of the blank support 72illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3 is such that in the rearmost positionthere is an open area between the front edge of the blank support 72 andthe bed support rear edge 34. This open area has not been found to bedetrimental because it only occurs when very long box blanks are beingfed by the reciprocating feeder 10. The very long box blanks are amplysupported by the rear edge of the bed support 20 and the front edge ofthe blank support 72. If, however, it is desired to eliminate the openarea between the rear edge of the bed support 20 and the blank support72, a blank support 172 Clliaving a greater longitudinal dimension canbe utiize It is apparent with the previously described blank support itis now possible to automatically support the intermediate portion ofdifferent sized :box blanks without manually positioning the box blanksupport. The box blank support previously described is fixedly securedto the backstop assembly and is reciprocally movable therewith so thatit assumes an optimum support position upon the positioning of thebackstop assembly for supporting the rear edge of the box blank.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle,preferred construction, and mode of operation of the invention have beenexplained, and what is now considered to represent its best embodimenthas been illustrated and described. However, it should be understoodthat within the scope of the appended claims the invention may bepracticed otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. In a reciprocating b-ox blank feeding mechanism the combinationcomprising,

a support bed having a pair of parallel spaced arm portions extendingrearwardly therefrom, said arm portions forming a recessed portiontherebetween,

a pair of parallel spaced slotted portions in said arms and said supportbed,

a transversely extending backstop member,

means secured to said backstop member and positioned in said pair ofparallel slots, said means arranged to support said backstop member forlongitudinal adjustment relative to said support bed,

said backstop member including means to support the rear edge portion ofa stack of box blanks in an elevated position relative to the topsurface of said support bed,

an auxiliary support for the intermediate portion of said box blanks,said auxiliary support spanning said recessed portion between said arms,

said auxiliary support having edge portions on the upper surface of saidarms, and

means connecting said auxiliary support to said backstop member formovement therewith longitudinally along said support bed.

2. In a reciprocating box blank feeding mechanism the combinationcomprising,

a support bed for a pair of parallel spaced arm portions extendingrearwardly therefrom,

said arm portions forming a recessed portion therebetween,

a transversely extending backstop member, means connecting said backstopmember to said support bed for longitudinal adjustment relative thereto,said backstop member including means to support the rear edge portion ofa stack of box blanks in an elevated position relative to the topsurface of said support bed,

an auxiliary support for the intermediate portion of said box blanks,said auxiliary support spanning said recessed portion between said arms,

said support bed and said arm portions having a recessed receiverportion for said auxiliary support, said recessed receiver portionhaving substantially the same depth as the vertical dimension of saidauxiliary support so that the top surface of said support and the topsurface of said support bed are in substantially the same horizontalplane,

said auxiliary support having edge portions supported on the recessedreceiver portions of said arms, and

means connecting said auxiliary support to said backstop member formovement therewith longitudinally along said support bed.

3. In a reciprocating box blank feeding mechanism the combinationcomprising,

a support bed having a front edge portion and a rear edge portion,

said front edge portion terminating adjacent a pair of feed rolls,

a pair of parallel spaced arm portions extending rearw-ardly from saidsupport bed rear edge portions, said arm portions forming a recessedportion therebetween,

a vertical gate member spaced above said support bed top surfaceadjacent to said feed rolls, the front edge portions of a stack of boxblanks arranged to abut said gate member,

a pair of parallel spaced slotted portions in said arms and said supportbed,

a transversely extending backstop member spanning said recessed portion,

block members secured to said backstop member,

bolt means securing said block members in said parallel slottedportions, said block members arranged to support said backstop memberfor longitudinal adjustment relative to said support bed,

said backstop member including means to support the rear edge portion ofa stack of box blanks in an combination comprising,

a support bed having a front edge portion and a rear edge portion,

said front edge portion terminating adjacent a pair of feed rolls,

a pair of parallel spaced arm portions extending rearwardly from saidsupport bed rear edge portions, said arm portions forming a recessedportion there between,

a vertical gate member spaced above said support bed top surfaceadjacent to said feed rolls, the front edge portions of a stack of boxblanks arranged to abut the gate member,

a pair of parallel spaced slotted portions in said arms and said supportbed,

a transversely extending backstop member spanning said recessed portion,

block members secured to said backstop member,

bolt means securing said block members in said parallel I slottedportions, said block members arranged to support said backstop memberfor longitudinal adjustment relative to said support bed,

said backstop member including means to support the rear edge portion ofa stack of box blanks in an elevated position relative to the topsurface of said support bed,

an auxiliary support for the intermediate portion of said box blankshaving a front edge portion, side edge portions and an upturned rearedge portion, said auxiliary support spanning said recessed portionbetween said arm portions,

said support bed and said arm portions having a recessed receiverportion for said auxiliary support, said receiver portion havingsubstantially the same depth as the vertical dimension of said auxiliarysupport so that the top surface of said support and the top surface ofsaid support bed are in substantially the same horizontal plane,

said auxiliary support side edge portions supported on the recessedreceiver portions of said arm portion, and

means connecting said auxiliary support upturned rear edge portion tosaid transversely extending backstop member for movement therewithlongitudinally along said support bed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,844,371 7/1958Rowlands 27144 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

R. E. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A RECIPROCATING BOX BLANK FEEDING MECHANISM THE COMBINATIONCOMPRISING, A SUPPORT BED HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SPACED ARM PORTIONSEXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID ARM PORTIONS FORMING A RECESSEDPORTION THEREBETWEEN, A PAIR OF PARALLEL SPACED SLOTTED PORTIONS IN SAIDARMS AND SAID SUPPORT BED, A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING BACKSTOP MEMBER,MEANS SECURED TO SAID BACKSTOP MEMBER AND POSITIONED IN SAID PAIR OFPARALLEL SLOTS, SAID MEANS ARRANGED TO SUPPORT SAID BACKSTOP MEMBER FORLONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT BED, SAID BACKTOPMEMBER INCLUDING MEANS TO SUPPORT THE REAR EDGE PORTION OF A STACK OFBOX BLANKS IN AN ELEVATED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE TOP SURFACE OF SAIDSUPPORT BED, AN AUXILIARY SUPPORT FOR THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAIDBOX BLANKS, SAID AUXILIARY SUPPORT SPANNING SAID RECESSED PORTIONBETWEEN SAID ARMS, SAID AUXILIARY SUPPORT HAVING EDGE PORTIONS ON THEUPPER SURFACE OF SAID ARMS, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID AUXILIARY SUPPORTTO SAID BACKSTOP MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAIDSUPPORT BED.